Chikkamagaluru (Karnataka): In an interesting assertion, Tamil Nadu BJP state president and former IPS officer Annamalai on Thursday claimed that BJP MP Tejasvi Surya did not open the emergency exit on board an IndiGo flight back on December 10. Despite Surya's own apology, which emerged a few days ago following a DGCA report on the incident, the TN BJP chief observed that the former was 'a responsible person' and had no reason to do such a thing.
Noting he and the Karnataka parliamentarian were travelling by the same flight, Annamalai observed that the aircraft in question was an ATR-72. "The emergency exit is located in the front. Due to no handrest being available, he had kept his hand on the door handle, but did not open it. The plane had not taken flight at this point, and the boarding process was going on.
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"We were speaking, and after a while, he pointed out to me that a there was a bleed which had peeled off and there was a gap in the door. After this, the air hostess was informed about the situation at hand. She in turn informed the pilot. The passengers were deboarded and the issue was fixed," Annamalai said, while speaking to the media. Contrary to media reports, he further noted that Surya did not issue an official apology for the incident. "He filled up the incident report and as he holds a responsible position, apologised to passengers on the spot for the delay," the TN BJP chief noted. He also slammed the Karnataka Congress for raising this issue. "Karnataka Congress leaders have nothing else to talk about. They are politicising these things," he said.
